What Others are Saying

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type

Author: Doreen Cronin

Year Published: 2000

What Others are Saying:

A children's book destined to become a classic. Cows learn to type, make demands on Farmer Brown and go on strike. A great lesson for young people about the values of education and collective action in the work place in a hilarious story that adults will love too.

A hilarious childhood introduction to the power of collective action for obtaining better working conditions. My kids love this book and I do too.

This may be a children's book, but it's all about the power of strikes and collective bargaining to improve working conditions.

This is a children's book, illustrating a funny story about cows who learn to type and give the farmer expectations for how they would like the work place to be better. The analogy is of worker's organizing to make the work place better, based on their needs. i.e. unionizing and making it clear to management what worker needs are.

Cows learn to type and take collective action against Farmer Brown, going on strike until he improves conditions in the barn. Eventually, the peaceful protest results in a mediated settlement (the duck is the impartial). It's a fun children's book that teaches kids about the importance of collective action in achieving goals

This book is about labor relations.

It's a children's book about fair labor and good working conditions. It involves protest!

Click, Clack, Moo is a great parable about the power of collective action. The premise is siimple: Farmer Brown's cows are cold in the barn at night. So they decided to band together and refuse to produce any milk until he brings them electric blankets! It's a Caldecott Honor Book. I've also heard it's actually played a roll in collective bargaining: apparently members of the union at Bank Street College read it aloud to management during contentious bargaining! (I have no way of verifying that).

This is a fantastic children's book (ages 1-5). From Publisher's Weekly: " Plucky barnyard denizens unite to improve their working conditions in this hilarious debut picture book from Cronin (appropriately enough, an attorney). Farmer Brown is dumbfounded when his cows discover an old typewriter in the barn and begin experimenting ("All day long he hears click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety clack moo"). Things really get out of hand when the cows began airing their grievances. Lewin (Araminta's Paint Box) conveys the fellow's shock as he reads: "Dear Farmer Brown, The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets. Sincerely, The Cows." When Farmer Brown denies the cows' request, the bovine organizers go on strike. Through the use of the man's shadow, Lewin communicates his rage: the straw in his hat creates the appearance of his hair on end. With help from a neutral duck mediator, the exasperated Farmer Brown finally makes concessions. But, much to his dismay, the cows are not the only creatures that can type. Cronin humorously turns the tables on conventional barnyard dynamics; Lewin's bold, loose-lined watercolors set a light and easygoing mood that matches Farmer Brown's very funny predicament. Kids and underdogs everywhere will cheer for the clever critters that calmly and politely stand up for their rights, while their human caretaker becomes more and more unglued. "

When the cows find a typewriter, they start requesting things from Farmer Brown. When, he refuses, they go on strike.

Now a classic of children's literature, a great lesson on organizing and collective bargaining!

This is a great book on many levels: first, it is a funny childrens' book; then it is a book about co-operation, meeting needs, working together to gain respect in the workplace. A great first primer on unionism and collective action.